Alec Issigonis: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:55, 9 June 2006

Revision as of 15:15, 9 June 2006

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In 1956 Issigonis moved back to Morris (which was now part of the [[British Motor Corporation]]) to design a new small car codenamed ADO15 which became the 1959 [[Mini|Morris Mini Minor]] (also known as the Austin Se7en). The Mini went on to become the best selling British car in history with a production run of 5.3 million cars). This ground-breaking design was still being manufactured in 2000 and has been the inspiration for almost all small front-wheel drive cars produced since the early 1960's.

Issigonis (also called thenicknamed [http://motoring.independent.co.uk/features/article301594.ece "The Greek god"] by his contemporaries) was elected as a Fellow of the [[Royal Society]] in 1967 and was awarded a knighthood in 1969. Whilst he is most famous for his creation of the Mini, he was most proud of his participation in the design of the Morris Minor. He considered it to be a vehicle that combined many of the luxuries and conveniences of a good motor car with a price suitable for the working classes - in contrast to the Mini which was a spartan mode of conveyance with everything cut to the bone.

Sir Alec officially retired from the motor industry in 1971, although he continued working until shortly before his death from [[Parkinson’s Disease]] in 1988.